Senioritis [Open]

[GILBERT BEILSCHMIDT]

Gilbert lingered around the entrance of the school, occupying himself with a handful of 2 and 1 cent coins. Twisting them absently into various odd shapes with his fingers trailing across the endlessly shifting surface of the metal, he'd pull the copper out like taffy before returning the coins to their original forms. Somehow, though, he'd always fuck up putting them back - he'd forget the date or the denomination, and the damned design on the back would always turn out wrong. He grunted, trying vainly to drive back his restless feelings by busying his hands.

This was going to be his final year at Asher, and he was trying to determine precisely how he felt about leaving. He was pretty sure he was gonna miss the time he'd spent here in this carefree sort of environment of moody, adolescent freaks and well-meaning weirdos. But hell, college was on the horizon! College, independence, the so-called "real world" beyond the borders of this isolated boarding school... it was pretty thrilling when he thought about it. Finally, he'd be able to really put all this training into practice - run the streets as a real vigilante. It was a thought that sent adrenaline pulsing through him, a thought that made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle in anticipation. It was gonna be fucking awesome.

Letting himself be carried off for a few minutes in thoughts of costumes and titles, he snapped back to reality when he got his index finger caught in the shapeless mass of copper. Cursing, he drew it out and smashed the metal out into a flat disk. 

Gilbert wondered now where he could even get into college from Asher. He wasn't looking for anything particularly fancy - just somewhere he could get some sort of degree and a job somewhere to help support his general world saving. Maybe he should pack his schedule this year with physics and mathematics and try to pursue a job in engineering. Ugh. But engineering seemed like such a damned lofty thing to go after - he wasn't looking for a fancy, high tier job that would come with button-up shirts and silk ties and weekend golf meetups at the local country club.

Tossing his handful of change up into the air, he caught it again deftly and shifted it into a tiny ball. In a school devoted to the development of future superheroes, secondary careers were some of the furthest things form the student's minds until it was almost too late.

Well, for some students, anyway. A career in construction wouldn't be the worst thing ever.

This train of thought was broken as Gilbert became acutely aware of a particularly lost-looking student wandering around just within his periphery.

"Everythin' alright there?" he called over to them.

[RAIVIS GALANTE]

A job had been the last thing on Raivis' mind that day. He had a couple more years ahead, no need to fret over college or supporting himself just yet. His goal was just to make it through the year; to keep his grades up and hope that he might get to go home during one of the breaks. God, how he missed his homeland... Hawaii was quite different from his proud Latvia, in every way it seemed. Even the schooling system was different - borederline confusing some days. He missed the atmosphere, the weather, the food... having other kids speak Latvian.

The blond sighed softly as he made his way down the hall, violet eyes aimed downward as home-sickness made his stomach do a little backflip. He had been going to the Academy for a few years, now in his fourth year, and there were still moments when he felt like a fish out of water. Where ha he been going again? His English class was in which direction? Raivis looked up and found that he was not where he should have been. This was the wrong section of the school, he hadn't taken any classes in this area, not one that he could recall.

For a brief moment, he felt totally lost.

The Latvian knew where he was in general, and in the back of his mind he knew that he could just backtrack to find his way; but for a moment, just a brief moment, he forgot all that and began to fret. He clutched his books more tightly to his chest, too nervous to ask for directions. After all, who still got lost after three previous years in the same buildings? No, he wouldn't have approached anyone to ask for help - which was why it was a good thing that someone had noticed and approached him instead. Raivis looked up as the stranger called after him, an older-looking kid who probably knew his way around.

After glancing around to make sure that it was him the other student was addressing, Raivis shook his head shyly. He recoilled as if by instinct, shoulders raised and head lowered in a more submissive manner, still apprehensive about this other student. He hadn't even noticed that he was so nervous until he glanced down at his hands. His hands had vanished from sight, totally invisible; it could have been worse, though. It could have been like that one time someone had called him out and his whole self disappeared. Flustered slightly, he tried to make an effort at stopping it before returning his attention back to the stranger,

"Um... You wouldn't h-happen to nuh-nuh-know where Room... R-Room 501 is... would you?" he asked softly, stuttering slightly.

[GILBERT BEILSCHMIDT]

When he'd called out, the kid had looked about ready to piss himself. His trembling hands vanished - presumably from nerves - as he managed to stutter out some form of a reply.

"Um... You wouldn't h-happen to nuh-nuh-know where Room... R-Room 501 is... would you?"

Thoughtfully, the upperclassman pushed off the wall he'd been leaning up against, tucking the ruins of the coins into his pocket as he did. "Room 501? That'd be in the language arts department. What're you looking for? Are you going to English at 15.00?"

The nervous boy nodded.

"Well look at that! I've gotta go in the same direction!" With something of a raucous snicker, Gilbert walloped him across the back in a friendly (if rough) gesture. "My name's Gilbert, but you prolly already know that I exist. But how 'bout you? I mean, I know your face. Hell, you're apparently in my English class!"

Placing a firm hand on Raivis' shoulder, the senior guided him into the building and towards the staircase. He could feel the poor little bastard still trembling. 

"Hey, are you alright?" he peered around at the younger boy. "You're shaking like hell. Are you cold 'r something?"

[RAIVIS GALANTE]

Though the senior seemed quite intimidating and spoke rather loudly, it was nice to hear that he was familiar with the room. Violet eyes lit up as the younger boy was asked about being in English at fifteen, giving a slight nod of his head. He had prided himself on being in some higher language classes, mostly because it boosted his confidence about his writing skills.

A snicker and a rough pat on the back were enough to drive away any hope of regaining some confidence. The transparency traveled up from just his hands, up to his elbows now vanishing from sight. The blond tried to force a smile as Gilbert introduced himself, mumbling a quick "I'm R-Raivis," in return, before he was led back down the hall and toward the staircase. His trembling and nervousness became more apparent, quickly picked up on and pointed out.

"N-no... N-not at all, I'm j-just... a bit nervous," Raivis insisted, shaking his head in response. He tried to find something else to focus on, something to keep his mind off being so worried over nothing. Perhaps he could try to get his hands back before he got to class... That might be something worth investing time in, ja. Violet eyes shifted downward as he clutched his books closely to his chest.

"...So y-you're... You're a senior??" the Latvian asked, able to vaguely recall his classmate, even while paying little attention to anything other than his books or own writings most days...